Technical horizontal mounted coil

I ran one of those big ugly yellow coils from Accel on my O/T big block Camaro . One day it started running like ****. Checked the coil wire and it oil soaked from the coil. Wiped it off and put the coil wire back on it ran fine . Did again after about 3 months. Re mounted the coil vertically and never had that issue again. The same coil was on the car 2 years later when I sold it. First and last time I had an issue with coil mounting

 

I have a 1933 Plymouth that had the original coil mounted within the firewall, coil on its side, with only the top sticking out. It was a hole and a bracket.

 

I read in an industry newspaper (some years ago) that most coils that are removed are not bad and the problem is something else. Mounting the coil vertically would prevent the oil leaking out of the case since the case is sealed at the top. I had a coil that was continuously arcing to the frame during a rain storm and that coil got really hot.

 

39 plymouth had coil mounted though the firewall horizontally

 

Interesting...

My 63 Stude Lark, had a horizontally mount coil just behind the carb ..
ive replaced 2 coils there, and since moved it, mounting it vertically on the firewall , Since replacing a further 2 new and a 3rd second hand one.. one new one lasted 700miles ..

when horizontally mounted i used to have terminals vertical, reducing the visual wiring mess.

but still annoyed the car is chewing them , ive about run out of things to check even the ignition switch isnt leaking volts when turned off

 

Do you have the resister in the run circuit to the coil?

Phil

 

thanks Phil,
the latest coil has a resistor...previous versions didnt

Al

 

have chased down an older coil and condensor .. chucked them in the car which so far seems to start and run much better..
i opened up a new failed condensor , and found alot of tin foil rolled into a tight wad, only filling about 3/4 the condensors cavity ...
not sold on new stuff ...

 

I always mount coils vertically and away from heat as a general guideline - I think I read that upside down vertical wasn't ideal.

Cheers Turns

 

I can't imagine it makes any difference. All my experience with SBC's was they all had vertically mounted coils. Even the 375 HP fuel motors had verticall coils mounted terminals up. I have never had a coil problem.

 

The Mopar's I have owned from the fifties and sixties all had horizontal mounted coils. I never had any problems. The OT Barracuda I bought new has its coil mounted that way also. All the small block Chevys that I have worked on had them that way too.